Duracoat newbie - need some advice

[madd0c]

I am getting a SA M14 with a synthetic stock. The stock is in matte black. I want to do a duracoat camo job on the stock, scope mount, rings and possibly the barrel (part of the question)

I have zero artistic talent. I think I suck artistry out of the room when I walk in.

Is a duracoat camo finish something I could do myself? Is the $99 kit with the spray gun and camo template worth it? Is the spray gun accetable, or would i do better getting a better one and not the kit?

Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks,
madd0c

 

[nastynatesfish]

The kit is a good one and easy to apply. I got the gray wolf and did my savage reciever and barrel. You coul get your colors and go to napa and get a prevail sprayer. Just make sure you degrease and wear gloves so you don't finger print it up. I used chemtool spray and brake cleaner, after spraying I baked it too, you don't have to but I did and it came out awesome. Good luck

 

[onestar]

The duracoat is an awesome product. Follow directions and you will be fine. I like to use these templates http://www.bulldogarms.com/ They work very well and come out looking professional. Good luck and post a picture for us.
Here are a couple that I have done

 

[nicholst55]

Go to Youtube and search for camo painting guns, specifically for 'young gunz.' There's a video of a 12-13 y/o kid doing a very presentable rattle-can camo job on an airsoft gun. If he can do it, well, you get my drift.

I'd post a link to it, but I'm at work and Youtube is blocked.

It ain't that hard.

 

[madd0c]

Thanks for the input guys, I guess I will take the plunge.

So, what do you think about including the barrel on an m14 in the duracoat job? Will it get too hot?

And as far as the spray gun, it looks like I can hook it into a compressor and not used the can of air right?

I will look at the videos, but do you do one side at a time? Then wait for it to dry and flip it, or is there some special way to suspend the stock and do both sides at once?

Thanks,
madd0c

 

[prickett]

From what I've seen, the barrel being painted is rather common. Heat shouldn't be a problem.

Most folks use a compressor rather than compressed air from a can. But, most folks recommend getting a water filter for their compressor so it doesn't spray any water with the paint.

The videos I've watched had the people suspend the gun, then spray it all at once.

I've never done this. Its just what I've observed on videos.

 

[AndyJ]

Have you got anything simpler you can practice on first? Maybe a single color job on one of your beaters?

 

[madd0c]

well, I will definitely practice on a piece of wood first, but I can't use too much to practice, that duracoat is expensive stuff, but not as much as a new stock I guess

 

[AndyJ]

I just know it is not as "easy" as it looks.

 

[kenno]

Practice on ammo cans or pocket knives, scopes, bipods etc.

 

[skipbo32]

i did a DIY cammo job on mine with krylon spay paint. not as strong as a dura coat finish but hey....it did the job. if you are a "newbie" then you might want to take this route. i just used leafs and branches as reverse stincils. i kind of like cammo jobs that look DIY. krylon is like 5 bucks a can. if it chips, so what. its a cammo stock....ill just retouch it.

 

[Mags]

I just got an AR15 with a duracoated barrel, after rapid fire when the barrel is hot the coating feels tacky on the barrel.

 

[crossrhodes]

The Real Mags

It doesn't surprise about your barrel geting hot and feeling tacky. I do a lot of Dura coat and gunkote and I never use duracoat on any semiauto larger then a 22. Duracoat is fine for bolt or single action rifles in which heat build is not as rapid as a semi. I recommend gunkote on barrels and duracoat for the furniture. All so something to think about too, if it's ceramic it retains heat, that's why it's used for things like exhusts and piston domes and if used on a barrel that is going to push a lot of runds down range it will cut your barrel life down. Didn't mean to get on the soapbox.

 

[Mags]

Crossrhodes,

Is their a way to remove the dura coat from the barrel? Hopefully a way that isn't very intrusive, like I said I recieved the gun that way.

 

[Chuck Warner]

.....it will cure with heat. it sounds as if it wasnt cured properly. Removal can be done by chemical(carb cleaner) or grit blasting if its cured.

I have done about 30 or 40, and while it turned out ok( I parkerized mine first) I prefer traditional blueing and parkerizing

 

[crossrhodes]

MAG

I would blast it off with 120 grit aluminum oxide @ 50 psi. As stated from some, parkerize then duracoat. That wit give you an even stronger bond but, don't do it to the barrel. Parkerizing and then KG gunkote will do the trick because the parker with have no effect on the heat dissipating property of gunkote. Gunkote has been used for years on Indy car water pumps, intake manifolds and valve covers before the US Seals starting using it.